Fundraising

When the bills come up, things can get really sticky for a club, especially one that has zero money to begin with, but there are ways to make money without spending too much money.

Cheapest Ideas: Less than $20 ideas.
Cheaper Ideas: From $20 to $100 ideas.
More Expensive Ideas: More than $100 ideas.
Sponsorships
Partnerships

Cheapest Ideas: Less than $20 ideas.
Club Yard Sale
Ask your club members and officers to donate things they don’t want anymore. It could be anime, manga, clean clothes, shoes, bags, posters, anything that looks sellable. Hold a yard sale in a highly-visible place.
-To check and get first: any permits for having a yard sale from the city or government office (some only allow 3-5 days or a time-set for yard-selling). Check with your neighborhood association as well as the city/government office for where you are allowed to put up signs for the yard sale. If you don’t do this, your yard sale could be shut down and you will be subject to a fine. Better to check than to be sorry. Also, check to see if your yard sale falls on a holiday—it’s bad timing for a yard sale.
-What you need: Furniture and tables to put the merchandise on, price tags (they can be made out of paper), and signs advertising your yard sale
-How to keep costs low: If the furniture is donated, you ask your advisor or go to the $1 Store for paper, and borrow members’ time in pricing and helping customers.
For helpful hints about yard sales, check out this list: http://www.yardsalequeen.com/yardsale.htm

Car Wash
This is usually done by many clubs already, but it’s a good way to make some quick money.
-To check and get first: permission from a local grocery store or gas station to use their water for a car wash. Sometimes, they may ask for some money up front, but it depends on where you live and what vendor you ask.
-What you need: Buckets, sponges, rags, towels, car wash solution, water hose, car tire solution, and lots and lots of signs and people
-How to keep costs low: If the buckets are brought from other people’s houses, sponges and rags are bought at the $1 Store or surplus store, and car wash material is donated by member (someone normally has this) or bought at a store like Wal-Mart.

Raffle
A raffle is a good way to make some money with minimal work. The only thing you need is good marketing to make this successful.
-To check and get: a big ticket prize that people would want, like a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant, a ticket into a popular concert, or a new video game.
-What you need: Raffle tickets
-How to keep costs low: If the raffle tickets are bought from Wal-Mart, Party City (or party store), or print on paper with a receipt portion.

Talent Show
Nothing says talent except a talent show. Market and sell tickets for the talent show.
-To check and get: permits for amplified sound (if you’re in a public place or on campus) and a venue
-What you need: tickets and talent
-How to keep costs low: Ask members, officers, and friends if they would like to perform at the talent show. Tickets can be made on paper.

Silent Auction
It doesn’t matter what you auction as long as it’s something someone wants. The great part about silent auctions is that you can do them anywhere; with a talent show, at a mixer, during a carnival or bazaar.
-To check and get:  permits for space and selling
-What you need: Paper for signing up for auctions
-How to keep costs low: Instead of buying merchandise, have people donate things. Make sure those donated things are practically new so that they have a higher likelihood of selling.

Online Writing Contest
Call it a raffle with talent, holding an online writing contest can get you money without having to go very far. Simply set some rules for the contest, set an entry fee (I would recommend a low one, at least under $20 per story), advertise it on different websites, and you’ve got yourself a writing contest that can make some money. The more open the guidelines are, the more people will want to enter.
-To check and get: a Paypal account for electronic payments or a P.O. box for mailed checks.
-What you need: a website for information, guidelines, and advertising; and a small group of people to read the stories and choose the winners.
-How to keep costs low: Advertise online, word of mouth, and in newspapers and media that are free to advertise

Selling Vendors’ Products
Not my favorite, but selling vendors’ products can be profitable without spending a dime.
-To check and get: catalogs (or sometimes, the merchandise itself) from vendor
-What you need: a lot of people with catalogs
-How to keep costs low: Avoid buying the merchandise first.
Vendors that may be in your area:
-Sees’ Candies http://fr.sees.com/index.cfm/Fundraising/Fundraising_Programs
-Chick-Fil-A http://chick-fil-a.com/Kids/Local
-Claim Jumper Restaurants http://www.claimjumper.com/in_the_community.aspx
-Cold Stone Creamery http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/about/community.html
-Domino’s Pizza http://www.dominosbiz.com/Biz-Public-EN/Site+Content/Secondary/About+Dominos/Domino's+Pizza+Fundraising/
-Krispy Kreme Doughnuts http://krispykreme.com/fundraising/4-ways-to-raise-funds

Sponsorships
School clubs are lucky enough to have on-campus support for sponsorships. Just ask around and apply for any sponsorships around. Since community clubs operate away from school, it’s a bit harder to get sponsorships. It depends on the location of your meetings. But community clubs and schools clubs can get sponsored by sending out packets of information to companies and vendors requesting a sponsorship. These companies can provide sponsorships in the form of money, services, free merchandise, free venue use, and/or gift cards.
-Pizza Hut http://www.pizzahut.com/corporatecontributionguidelines.html
-Woodstocks Pizza http://woodstocks.com/donations.cfm
How to prepare a request for sponsorship or a Sponsorship Packet is available here.

Partnerships
Instead of having just your club doing a fundraiser, why not join forced with other school clubs? For instance, if you want to join forces with a science club, have a fundraiser that combines the theme of science and anime together. By sharing the costs, it will minimize the total cost from your club. The only downside is that the profits are divided for per club.

Also, partnerships could be a way of trading services of things. For instance, if you need a table cloth, ask to borrow it from another club. You can even barter things that your club has for certain items from other clubs.

Cheaper Ideas: Between $20 to $100 ideas.
Grams (school only)
Make and market beautiful and great grams during the holidays for people to send to their loved ones, or just the ones they like. Advertise and set up a booth for ordering a gram at least 3 weeks before the big day. Customers will pay ahead of time as well as write their own message and time for delivery when they order. Before the big day, members and volunteers put the grams together and sort out who will deliver what. On the day of, the grams are delivered to class or a designated point.
-To check and get first: what goes into a gram. For example, a Valentine’s Day gram could have chocolate, a carnation, and a card included.
-What you need: The stuff that goes into a gram, and a diligent group of people to help.
-How to keep costs low: Buy everything in bulk.

Anime-Themed Mixer or Party
This is a good way to get a party going for anime, manga, and Japan enthusiasts.
-To check and get first: Reserve a venue and what kind of food to get served. If you’re at school, make sure to get the permit to serve food, play amplified sound (music, microphone), and insurance permits before the mixer.
-What you need: Decorations, DJ or music
-How to keep costs low: Get the venue donated or discounted for use, get the food donated or discounted, and borrow supplies, like a ladle, from a member or officer. If you don’t want to spend money on a DJ, go on Craigslist.com and hire a live band. They’re normally pretty cheap. If you don’t want to hire anyone, get the amps hooked up to an iPod and have a musically-inclined member monitor the playlist. Or you can have some musicians perform for free from your music department or friends who want to show their talent.

Anime Cake Walk or Manga Cake Walk
Take a spinoff of the cake walk fundraiser and add on anime and manga for a theme. Use anime soundtracks for the music. This has the same rules as musical chairs. The participants walk in a circle formed by chairs until the music stops. The last participant to be seated in the last chair wins a cake or anime or manga, their choice.
-To check and get first: Reserve a venue, get an amplified sound permit, and food serving and handling permit.
-What you need: Decorations, cakes, manga, anime, chairs, tables, and eating utensils and plates
-How to keep your costs low: Have members or volunteers make the cakes. Get a vendor to donate other prizes and/or eating utensils and plates. The venue can supply the tables and chairs at no extra cost. Go to a cheap party section or Wal-Mart for decorations.

More Expensive Ideas: More than $100 ideas.
Dance or Prom
Yes, you can dance your way into making some money by holding a dance. Decide the theme of the dance, give each officer a task for it, and market the dance everywhere.
-To check and get first: Reserve a venue, get an amplified sound permit, get all permits for serving food, hire a DJ or versatile live band, and assign duties to all officers and sub-committee members.
-What you need: Decorations, photographer, food, music, and dance floor (if not already there)
-To keep costs low: Get as much as possible donated, sponsored, or discounted. To make things less stressful and cheaper in cost, get the same materials and services from one vendor. For example, ask a vendor for a venue and food as sponsorship. For a photographer, ask a photography student to set up shop for a discounted price or prints for their portfolio. Also, if you work ahead, you can get the overall event sponsored by sending out Sponsorship Packets.

Class or Seminar
Teaching a Japanese culture class or seminar, like origami or Japanese language, can be a way to make a little bit of dough while staying within the means of your mission.
-To check and get first: Reserve a venue and a teacher.
-What you need: Materials for the class/seminar.
-How to keep costs low: Ask your advisor or a local to do the class for free or discounted. Buy materials in bulk.

Bakeoff Bake Sale
Instead of the usual bake sale, have a bakeoff! Groups and participants pay a small entry fee, and on the day of, everyone gathers at a set venue and critics taste the goods. The winner(s) get a prize, and the remainder of the baked goods is sold to people.
-To check and get first: Reserve a venue and sign up people with payment. Get any permits for selling and handling food.
-What you need: Tables for setting up shop, plates, utensils, and serving utensils, and drinks